Breaking the Double Standard
by factsoflifefanatic
Summary: After the events in "Double Standard," Blair and Jo discuss just how similar they are despite their differences and realize that they break the double standard.


_**The Facts of Life**_ **belongs to others who are more clever than me. I am only expanding on a show that I love. I hope everyone enjoys this short addition to the episode "Double Standard." I could not have done this alone and those who had a hand in helping me through editing and encouragement deserve most of the credit. Without them, this story may not have been published. Thanks (you know who you are). Let me know what you think via reviews and feedback. It will be much appreciated. Please, enjoy. :)**

As Blair let her hand fall after gently grabbing Jo's arm, the girls exchanged understanding smiles. The blonde suggested not telling anyone that she and her surly roommate had similar problems, but that would be almost impossible with the Snoop Sisters on the job. Sure enough, Natalie and Tootie took that moment to enter the dining room while glancing back toward the lounge.

"Gee, Jo, whatcha do to Harrison?" asked Tootie as she followed her friend from the lounge.

"Yeah, he ran past us like someone lit a fire under him," added Natalie as she stole one more glance to the lounge. "I thought he was going to knock poor Tootie over."

Jo kept her back toward her younger roommates because she wasn't ready to answer their prying questions. She even took a few steps toward the counter in an effort to escape the inevitable verbal barrage. As the Bronx girl was steeling herself to explain what happened, Blair stepped in – actually placing herself between Jo and their younger roommates.

"Oh," Blair said with a slight giggle, "Harrison was afraid Jo was going to ruin his Armani suit."

"Huh?" the younger girls asked with matching looks of confusion.

"I tried to warn her that she was not in the same league as the cotillion crowd."

"Oh, Blair, not that again," said Tootie.

"Yeah," added Natalie. "You're just jealous that Harrison asked Jo to go with him."

At the mention of that creep's name, Blair had to hold back a scowl. "Natalie, Natalie, Natalie," replied the blonde as she walked over and stood between the younger girls and placed an arm around each of them, "Jo simply is not ready for high society."

It hurt Blair to say these things after her and Jo's understanding, but she needed to keep up her snooty façade – for both their sakes.

"Jo took one look at the prepared food," continued Blair, "and she lost her lunch. Why else do you think Harrison brought her home early?"

"Oh," said Tootie shaking her head in understanding, but Natalie didn't look so convinced.

In fact, the older girl had a look of suspicion on her face as she asked, "Then why did he need to return Jo's shoe?"

"Well," hesitated Blair, "when he dropped her off, she was in such a rush to make it to the bathroom that she left a shoe in his car. You know how she likes to take off her shoes, especially if they are anything that's not a pair of sneakers."

"Hmmm," said Natalie eyeing Jo's back. "So, why isn't _she_ telling us?"

"Nat, you know Jo," replied Blair nonchalantly. "She doesn't want you guys to know that she got sick at an event I _told_ her not to go to."

"She's right, Nat," put in Tootie. "She even said Jo would be humiliated."

Tootie's words stung the blonde who grimaced. Of course the young girl had no idea what that word did to Blair, but it hurt hearing her words thrown back in her face.

Blair maintained her composure as she replied, "Yeah. I knew Jo wouldn't fit in."

"Why's her hair a mess?" asked Natalie still not convinced.

"Well, Nat," chuckled Blair, "when you have your head in the toilet, that kind of thing happens – to most people that is," she ended with a pat to her hair. "Now, why don't you two get upstairs and Jo and I will be up after we make sure she's not going to get sick anymore."

Natalie grabbed Tootie's arm and said, "Fine." Once they were out of earshot, she turned to Tootie and whispered, "We'll get to the bottom of this later."

"You don't believe Blair?" asked Tootie in a low voice.

"Not a chance," replied Natalie as she stole one more glance toward the older girls.

After the younger girls were out of the room, Jo turned to face Blair and said, "Thanks."

"It's no problem, Jo."

The blonde could see the hurt that still lingered in her roommate's eyes and she knew that the brunette needed a little more time. Blair had been around Natalie and Tootie long enough to know that they were nowhere near satisfied with her explanation.

"Jo," piped in Blair, "why don't we go into the lounge and chat for a bit. Nat and Toot will be all over you if we go up there right now. They aren't called the Snoop Sisters for nothing."

Therefore, the two girls walked into the lounge and sat on the couch. Jo sat on the left side and Blair on the right. The blonde figured it was best to take the side closer to the doorway in case the Snoop Sisters returned. She wanted to cut them off before they could see Jo in her current state. There was an awkward silence between the two girls because both of them were scared – Jo didn't want to admit her weakness, though Blair had already seen her roommate's vulnerability, and Blair was scared to say the wrong thing. The blonde was mad because Harrison was her friend and she felt somewhat responsible for what happened to Jo.

She should have tried harder to explain why Jo didn't belong with that crowd. Everyone just _assumed_ that she was jealous that Jo was invited to _her_ cotillion, but she had been to many such social events. The truth was that she knew her snobbish friends would know someone who was not in their social circle right off, and then exploit them for pure entertainment. However, Jo's words cut deep and she _allowed_ Jo to go. Now she regretted that decision.

Blair only thought that the cotillion crowd would poke fun at Jo. She convinced herself that it would serve Jo right for being so stubborn, but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine Harrison would . . .

"Jo," said Blair breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" replied Jo looking up into chocolate brown eyes with green and gold flecks.

"I am so sorry."

"For what? You didn't do anything."

"Jo, I knew that my crowd might have ulterior motives with an outsider such as yourself, but I never dreamed that Harrison would . . ."

They looked away from each other, both ashamed.

Then Blair continued, "I mean Harrison has always been such a gentleman and . . ."

"And what?" interrupted Jo. "Guys who drive Porches and wear $1,000 dollar suits can't be creeps?"

"Of course anyone can be someone other than who you think they are. I mean, even I . . ."

"What, Blair? You're not a rich snob?"

"Well, yes I'm rich and I can be a snob. I was a brat tonight . . ."

"What else is new," said Jo under her breath.

"But I understand the position you were in."

"No, you don't," sniffed Jo as she turned her head away from Blair.

"Look, Jo, before you came here, I was a real brat."

Jo glanced at the blonde with questions in her green eyes.

Blair took a deep breath before continuing. "See, I used to be a risk taker just like you. Heck, I even smoked when I thought no one was around. I hung out with this group on campus who were busted for doing marijuana."

Jo's eyes grew wide at this revelation. She never thought that Blair could be anything other than a goody two-shoes.

"But," continued Blair, "one of the most dangerous things I did was go up to Skyview Ridge Road with a guy in a van."

"Oh, Blair, you always know how to conduct yourself with guys. Ya do it all the time."

"No, Jo. I went up there to experiment."

"Ya mean?"

"No! I mean, I wanted to prove to everyone how experienced I was, but I still didn't want to go all the way. However, when I broke it to Steve – his name was Steve and he was the delivery boy – that I just wanted to have fun instead of making a long-term commitment, he went crazy. He tried to . . . well, he wanted . . ."

Blair looked away in shame.

"Ya mean," interjected Jo, "he tried ta do ta you what Harrison tried ta do with me?"

"Yes, Jo. He jumped on top of me and started to, um . . ."

"What'd ya do?"

"Well, I put up a good fight and he soon gave up. I think he saw the fear in my eyes. However, he was furious so he jumped in the front seat and sped away. He got pulled over by the Peekskill police and received a ticket for speeding."

"Wow, Blair."

"I was so scared, Jo. I knew I put myself in that position and I was lucky nothing happened."

"Blair, he chose ta pin ya down. Ya didn't ask for that."

"Yeah, but I led him on."

"Look Blondie, he didn't have to manhandle ya like that. When ya told him to stop, he shoulda stopped."

"You're right, Jo. He had a choice. Besides, no means no."

"I wish Harrison woulda got that hint. Instead, he pushed me down into a big sand trap and told me to relax."

Blair gasped and looked at her roommate in shock. "I can't believe he tried to push you into something that made you uncomfortable."

"I guess I'm kinda to blame too," said Jo with her eyes downcast. "I mean, I shouldn't have invaded your turf in the first place, but I also shouldn't have followed him out onto the ninth green. My street sense usually kicks in, but I figured he wouldn't try any of that stuff."

"Hey, like you told me, he should have stopped. There's no way you could have known what was safe or not, having never been to a cotillion before. Besides, Harrison is a smooth, slick operator and I bet he was pretty convincing."

"Yeah," answered Jo with a sniff, "I thought his breeding would have made him different than your run-of-the-mill jerk."

"Just because he is suave and well-bred, it doesn't mean that he has manners."

Blair could see tears returning to Jo's eyes. "Believe me, Jo," cut in Blair as she placed a reassuring hand on Jo's hand that was resting on her right knee, "if I knew what he had planned, I wouldn't have let you go to the cotillion with him. I've known Harrison since we were kids together and I never thought he could grow up into such a slimeball."

"Well, Blair," said Jo smiling, "I guess we both still got a lot to learn, huh?"

"That we do, Jo. That we do."

"By the way, Blair, why are you wearing my jacket and stuff?"

Blair completely forgot about her outfit as she looked away and bit her lip. "Umm, I guess I wanted to rediscover my inner rebel."

The girls looked at each other a second before breaking into laughter and hugged. In that moment, they knew that they were going to be instrumental in helping each other grow and adapt. As different as they seemed to be, at the core they were actually very similar. In fact, they were equals who broke the double standard.


End file.
